Shared Dreams
by Lydwina Marie
Summary: Years before Celebrian's sailing, Elrohir dreams of his mother's torment at the hands of the Orcs.


**Shared Dreams**

Lydwina Marie

"... And the Elf travelled back over the Hithaeglir, the Lonely Mountain, the Shire, Rohan, the Bruinen, Rohan, Gondor, Harad, Mordor, and came finally to the valley of Imladris..."

Elladan smiled as Elrohir's voice filtered through the closed door. His brother was telling Arwen a story he and Elrohir had made up together. The geography was completely inaccurate, but it made Arwen giggle, and she could tell whenever Elrohir made a mistake.

"Tell it again, Rohir!" he heard her beg.

He pushed open the door and walked in. Arwen smiled up at him from the bed, and Elrohir lay lazily beside her, one arm holding his little sister close against him.

Elladan frowned a little. Elrohir looked so tired... why would he not rest? Nigh on two weeks before, Elrond had ordered him to bed to recover from numerous injuries inflicted on his latest patrol. The wounds had healed, but his exhaustion had not lifted as did the pain.

"Lazing around again, Ro?" he enquired.

Elrohir began to protest, scrubbing at his shadowed eyes with one hand, but Arwen interrupted.

"Rohir told me about the klep... klepi... the mani..." She stopped, turning to Elrohir in desperation. "I've forgotten again!"

"Kleptomaniac," Elrohir supplied, carefully hiding his smile.

"So I heard," Elladan said gravely, grinning down at her. Celebrian was in Lórien, and the twins had felt obligated to entertain their desolate sister. "Ada was looking for you, Arwen," he added. "He says if you hurry he will stay after tucking you in, and sing you a song!"

"Oh... oh..." In her haste to get up, Arwen fell flat on the quilt, sliding forward off the bed as her legs kicked fiercely. "Help, I'm going down!"

Elladan caught her easily and carried her to the door. "If you run now and give him a kiss, Ada might even sing to you of Lúthien," he whispered conspiratorially.

Arwen began to kick. "Let me down, let me down!" As she scampered down the hall he heard her murmur, "I _like_ Beren... so handsome and brave... Run, run!"

Her arms, flailing like windmills, propelled her forward and she soon disappeared in her own door.

Still smiling, Elladan turned back to Elrohir. "Did she wake you?" he asked quietly.

Elrohir shrugged, pulling himself up against the pillows. Elladan's frown returned, and he sat on the edge of the bed. Elrohir seemed to shift away from him, as though he were hiding something, or feared his twin would sense something he wished to remain secret.

"Elrohir, you are physically healed. What then prevents you from resting?" Looking closely upon Elrohir's down-turned face, he saw the dark circles about his twin's eyes. "I do not believe you have slept at all!" he accused.

"El..." Elrohir protested. "Can we not discuss this some other time? When I am not so tired?"

"No!" Elladan jumped to his feet. "Why will you not tell me, Elrohir? What shadow plagues your rest?"

Knowing it was fruitless to try to evade the question, Elrohir muttered one word – a word that Elladan could barely hear, so softly did he speak.

"Nightmares."

Elrohir closed his eyes, waiting for Elladan to burst out laughing, but instead there was silence. Then he felt warm fingers wrap about his own cold hand, squeezing it invitingly. Shivering, Elrohir took Elladan's other hand with his free one, and held it tightly.

"It is so awful." His voice broke as he clenched his teeth to hold back a sob. "Whenever I try to sleep, whenever I close my eyes, it is there, haunting me..."

"What do you see?" Elladan asked softly, pulling Elrohir close.

"Naneth," Elrohir choked, unable to hide his tears. "They have taken her, and chained her... they whip her like a dog, laughing as she screams, and then... then..." He struggled to calm himself, trying to keep his voice steady, but he saw it all so clearly before his eyes – the images relentlessly imprinting themselves upon his exhausted mind. "Then she looks up once, out of pain-blackened eyes..." His tears flowed down his cheeks and Elladan, horrified by the tale, reached over and wiped them away almost unconsciously.

"She looks at me, crying, reaching out her hands desperately... and then she falls."

Elrohir's mind opened to Elladan, and he saw all Elrohir had spoken of – their mother screaming, writhing as the whip slashed at her tender back, her silver hair, jaggedly shorn about her shoulders, helpless on her knees... A desperate fear seized at his heart; a dreadful fear that this was more than a dream, and that their mother was dead.

He did not notice the door opening, or Elrond stepping in – he only felt his father's hands grasp at his shoulders as he rocked Elrohir back and forth. Everything was in a blur about him; his eyes, wide and fearful, brimming with tears he tried to hold back. Elrohir's pain ripped at his heart, gnawing ceaselessly as he felt his brother's tears soaking through his tunic.

Elrond's fear increased as Elrohir continued to weep. Elladan had not responded to his touch, so he moved to Elrohir, gently stroking his son's raven hair.

Elrohir caught his father's hand in his, holding it tightly as though he never wanted to let go.

"P-please do not leave me alone with it tonight." His voice was broken with sobs. "I try to stay awake, but sometimes I am too tired and I cannot!"

"Shh, ion nín," Elrond soothed him. "You will not be alone, Elrohir – neither you or your brother. Be at peace."

Elrond's calming words had their intended effect, stifling Elrohir's sobs. Elladan slowly returned to reality as his twin's pain lessened, suddenly aware of his father. He joined in reassuring Elrohir, still holding his brother closely.

"If you dream of evil tonight, Ro, I will share it," he whispered. "Please do not block me."

Elrohir gave him a small smile and nodded.

* * *

Elladan awoke much later that night, disturbed by Elrohir's stifled cries as he struggled to free himself from Elladan's arms. His face was pressed into Elladan's shoulder, and he shook almost uncontrollably.

Finding his bond with Elrohir, Elladan allowed his eyes to glaze over again. _I'm here, little brother, all will be well._

Elrohir had left his mind unguarded, and Elladan found himself suddenly part of a terrifying blackness. Then his surroundings changed gradually into a cave, lit with burning torches. Horrifying screams rent the air, and he felt tears flowing down his cheeks as he listened to the cries of pain.

 _Elladan moved blindly forward over the uneven floor, his eyes fastened on the figure slumped on her knees – Naneth? No, she was in Lórien... and this Elf could not possibly be his beautiful mother. Limp silver hair hung jaggedly shorn to her bare, quivering shoulders; dilated eyes, blackened in agony, stared unseeingly at him. Wild screams tore from her mouth, streaks of blood running down her chin from her split lips._

 _"Elladan!" she screamed. "Help me!"_

 _As Elladan watched in horror, a sharp snap echoed through the cave, and a whip cut deeply into her back, adding to the bloody lacerations that already covered it entirely. He raised fiery eyes to the figure that stood over the captive. A foul Orc, leering down into his mother's face. The one who beat her mercilessly. Who had cut her shining hair. Who took the light from her eyes and reduced her to a being convulsed in agony._

 _Then Celebrian raised her pain-stricken eyes to her son's face and held his gaze as the whip struck again, tears of fury and anguish falling unheeded down her cheeks. But even as he sprang forward at the Orc's throat, she let out one last scream... and fell._

Elladan clung to Elrond, crying Celebrían's name over and over. Elrond was holding both his sons; Elrohir lay silent and pale against him, but Elladan still struggled to pull away despite his desperate grip on his father.

"Elrohir!" Elrond cried, shaking his youngest son. Elrohir stirred as if he woke from a trance, his eyes unfocused and confused.

"Ada..." he whispered.

"Help me calm Elladan, for he will not waken!" Elrond begged.

At his father's words, Elrohir noticed his twin for the first time, and his eyes widened.

"Elladan," he murmured, grasping his brother's shoulder. "Shh, it will leave now, I am here..."

As Elrohir spoke, Elladan's thrashings ceased and he lay still. Elrohir leaned over and pulled him into his arms, resting his cheek on Elladan's hair.

"He took it for me," he whispered quietly, in an almost unbelieving tone. "He wanted to protect me, but now it will haunt him."

"What haunts him?" Elrond asked. "I know you have not slept since your wounds healed, but you would not tell me why. Have you some pain?"

"A pain, yes," Elrohir muttered, his eyes filling with tears, "but not one you can heal."

"Why not?" Elrond asked gently, squeezing his son's hand. "Do not fear to speak, penneth, it will relieve your heart."

"Relieve my heart?" Elrohir exclaimed bitterly. "My heart is torn, Ada, speak not of relief!"

"Elrohir!" Elrond's voice was laced with fear. "What has happened? What have you seen?"

Elrohir lowered his eyes to hide their pain. "I saw..." he whispered, "I saw death, Ada... They beat her; her back was raw and bleeding – and they _laughed_! They laughed to see her tears, to hear her sobs; they delighted in making her cry out..."

"To whom, Elrohir?" Elrond asked swiftly, dreading the answer. "Answer me, to whom did they do such things?"

"Naneth," Elrohir muttered... and felt his tears begin to flow as the room went silent.

Then he heard a word, one choked word – a name.

 _"Celebrian..."_

Elrond felt as though the breath had been squeezed from his body; he sat rigid with terror as he searched for his bond with his wife. Then a sob broke from his throat, but it was one of relief.

"Oh, Celebrian, you are well!"

Elrohir hardly heard his father's words, so intent was he on wiping away his tears and assuming a nonchalant expression.

 _"Ada,"_ he whispered sharply, nudging Elrond with his elbow. Elrond's head flew up and cleared instantly of any emotion as he summoned a weak smile to his lips. A little white-clad figure had pushed the door open and stood now framed in the moonlight flowing from the windows. It was Arwen.

"Rohir," she whispered, tiptoeing over and putting her hand on his knee, "why is Ada hugging you?"

"Because I could not sleep," Elrohir replied, smiling down at her.

"Why?" Her eyes widened.

"I... because..." Elrohir fumbled, taken by surprise. He was used to Arwen's endless "whys", but he only tolerated them because there was nothing else he could do.

"Penneth, your brothers are tired," Elrond interrupted.

"Why?" she whispered, gazing up at him.

"Elladan was not sleeping well," the Elf-lord explained patiently.

Her eyes darted to Elladan. They bulged.

"Rohir," she breathed, "why are you hugging Elladan?"

Elrohir recovered his grin and flashed it on her again. "Because I love him."

"Why?"

"Because he is my brother, maybe?" He sighed a little; he knew what was coming next. "Yes, Arwen, I know, why are we brothers? That is the way these things happen."

"Why?" Arwen hung on his knee, eyes round and adoring.

Elrohir winced. "Because we were born that way, little sister."

"But..." Arwen persisted, " _... why_?"

Elrohir let out a soft moan, then reached down and pulled Arwen onto his lap. With a sigh of contentment she settled herself against him, then seemed to remember something.

"Why, Rohir? Why were you born that way?"

"Do you know something?" Elrohir asked, smiling. "You ask entirely too many questions for your own good, little sister."

She smirked smugly. "I know." Then she let out a squawk as he tickled her mercilessly, doubled over with giggles.

"Rohir... not gentleman-like..."

Elrohir, still smiling, whispered, "I am no gentleman."

"I know," she agreed, sitting back up. "But I thought... let me see, what _did_ I think? Oh, yes – or no, that..."

"Penneth," Elrond said quietly, with a smile in his eyes that escaped his daughter's notice, "more to the point is, why are you out of bed?"

"Valar!" After one look at her father's stern face, Arwen's arms were around Elrohir's neck in a choking grip, her legs kicking fiercely against his stomach.

"Mercy, Rohir, mercy!" she begged. "Save me from Morgoth's wrath!"

Elrohir gagged and choked, trying to pull her arms away, but it took Elrond's glares in addition to his efforts to finally reduce her to a palpitating heap on her brother's lap.

"Mercy," she moaned. "I meant no harm."

"After almost strangling your brother, that is questionable," Elrond said wearily, getting to his feet and letting his sons lie back. He bent close to Elrohir's ear to whisper, "Will you be all right?"

Elrohir nodded and gave him a quick smile of reassurance that his father reciprocated before taking Arwen from Elrohir's arms and striding out the door. Arwen's moans and whimpers were the last thing Elrohir heard before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 **A/N:** Please, dudes, feedback, I beg! I need unbiased opinions! I beseech you, I beg you, I implore you, have pity on my exhausted mind and tell me what you think. *sniffs*


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